The Gratitude of Night
by HeatWave
Summary: <html><head></head>Twilight Sparkle understands that she alone knew of the prophecy of the return of Nightmare Moon and she is determined to do her part to prevent history from repeating itself, but can one little pony possibly make a lasting difference?</html>
1. Prologue

A/N: Yes, I did it. I wrote a My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic fic. I don't know why... the desire just hit me. Like so many others, I have fallen in love with this show. Ironically, it'll be the one finished story I have to my name. It was meant to be a simple one-shot, but it kinda got away from me, so I split it into three parts: Prologue, Story, Epilogue. Lemme know what you think, as reviews and comments are always appreciated. I would especially like your take on how I portray some of the characters. I try to stay as on target as I can when I can, but some of them have so little source to go off of, so it's nice to see your reactions. Thanks a bunch, and hope you enjoy!

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><p>Softly she walked, often trotting, occasionally prancing, but always with a confidence of knowledge, an aura of power, and a hint of mischievousness. Though still relatively new to the quiet— some might even say backwater— village, she had quickly and distinctly made her mark. Her name was often whispered through the town's gossip chains. She was, after all, the chosen student of Princess Celestia, and she had proven her worth time and time again to the small town of Ponyville; not to mention been instrumental of the fall of the Nightmare Moon. Everypony gave her a measure of respect, even if she was often outside of her element so far from her majestic home in Canterlot. It was a small price of patience for the ponies of Ponyville to pay for the services she had rendered in trade, and anypony who saw her pass by would give her more than a passing glance.<p>

Of course, that would assume there was anypony about to see her, but there was not; certainly not at this hour. All the sane ponies would have long since retired for the night, but Twilight Sparkle strode through the darkened streets as if without a care in the world, musing to herself as she passed building after building. The crisp, autumn air flicked at her mane and slid silently through the town with a whisper, as if not to disturb the peaceful venue. Occasionally she would see a dim light through the window of a night owl, perhaps working on some time consuming project, or better yet, buried within a good book. She passed by several familiar shops as she walked whimsically through the town, not really caring where she was going. The Sugarcube Corner had long since gone dark, as most of the baking for the day took place early morning to ensure fresh products, but a light in the Carousel Boutique told her that Rarity was once again working the night away. Twilight briefly considered stopping in to say hello, but quickly dismissed the idea. The poor pony had enough to worry about without unnecessary interruptions, even if she could use a break every once in a while.

With a knowing shake of her mane, Twilight moved off, making her way to the outer edges of town, towards the familiar fields of Sweet Apple Acres. She did not fear the night, so long as she stayed clear of the Everfree Forest.

The Everfree Forest. That thought sent a shudder through her spine. It was blind luck that Fluttershy had found her after her encounter with the Cockatrice, let alone freed her from the grips of lifeless stone she had been entrapped in, and Twilight had no intention of testing that luck a second time. And then there was the Ursa Minor she had encountered… No, the Farm would be a much safer venue to accomplish her purpose tonight.

As Twilight approached the outskirts she turned her attention to the night sky. With fewer lamps and lit rooms around her she could see the wonderment held therein much more clearly. The stars gleamed down at the young Pony, their brilliance only surpassed by the moon itself, which shown down on the land, bathing the small town in a soft white glow as if it were Ponyville's own personal spotlight. Another gust of wind blew past; cool, but not cold. It was a refreshing breeze that seemed to whisper of the benefits that the daytime air could not provide, and Twilight stopped to listen, to immerse herself into its message as if it was the most fascinating of books. The wind sped by and dissipated, and with it, the experience. Twilight slowly drew in a deep breath, not having realized she had been holding it as the gust passed. She continued on.

It wasn't much further before she reached the farm. Surveying the land, Twilight picked out a field that didn't appear to be in any immediate use. Long grass spread over the ground like an elaborate carpet, separated from the wild by a small wooden fence that was easily bypassed. Out in the center of the field, Twilight lay on the ground and just sat there, taking in the beauty and splendor that was the night. She listened to the rustling grass and heard the calls of creatures who were more suited to life in the shadows rather than the brilliant rays of the sun. She watched the gleaming twinkling stars, pointing out in her mind the constellations that she knew by heart. She was no stranger to the night sky, having dedicated many hours to the study of the celestial bodies; but as her focus turned to the gleaming face of the full moon she realized that wasn't entirely true, for there was one body that had gone through a recent change.

Even after all these months it was still strange to her. She had grown up listening to the stories of the mare in the moon. She could still remember, as a little filly, the first time she had been able to make out the distinct shape therein. She didn't realize at the time that those stories had been all too real, and that she would be the one to face that mare when she returned to Equestria, but it mattered little now. The moon was new and different, true, but it seemed to glow all the more brighter for it, as if happy that it was no longer marred by the dark visage of the Nightmare.

As Twilight laid there, thinking to herself and admiring the dark majesty around her, she slowly became aware of a sound that seemed to disturb the stillness of the night air. As her consciousness brought the sound to the forefront of her thoughts she focused her ears, hoping to catch it again with more clarity. She was not long disappointed.

__Thunk…... patterpatterpatterpatter__

It seemed a ways off, and sounded like it was coming from the Apple Orchards. Twilight wasn't aware of any particular creature living within the orchard that would make such a peculiar sound. She was trying to convince herself there was a logical explanation for it when she heard it a second time.

_Thunk…... __patterpatterpatterpatter__ _

With no better ideas she slowly got back to her feet and made her way towards the trees. As she approached she would hear the sound, repeating itself with irregular intervals. She moved cautiously at first, hoping to stay hidden lest the source turn out to be less than friendly, but as she drew near to the origin she realized that there was no need to fear. It's strange how the night can turn what should have been an instantly recognizable and innocuous sound into something much more sinister.

With the help of the moon's glow, Twilight approached the source more boldly, finally making out a familiar outline, even from within the muted cover of the many apple trees. The outline reared itself on its front legs and gave the nearest tree a mighty kick.

_**Thunk**_

Shortly thereafter, a small shower of Apples began to fall from the tree, hitting the soft ground without so much as a bounce.

**__Patterpatterpatterpatter__**

Twilight watched as the shadow began to gather the fallen apples, depositing them in a nearby bucket for easier transportation back to the barn. It didn't seem to be aware of her presence just yet, and so she waited for a moment longer before closing the remaining distance between them.

"Hi Applejack!"

With a start, the orange pony whirled at the newcomer, relaxing only when the glow of the silver moon allowed her brain to match the voice she had heard with a face she was well familiar with.

"Twilight!" Applejack breathed with obvious relief, "What in tarnation you doin' out here, girl. You done scared me half to death!"

Twilight gave her friend the most apologetic look she could muster. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. I just heard something out here and thought I would investigate. I'd hate for somepony to be stealing your apples and I not doing anything about it."

Applejack chuckled, her drawl easily making its way into even that simple gesture. "Girl, the last time somepony tried to steal an apple from the Apple Family Farm they were taught a lesson that no pony in Ponyville will soon forget," she said with a hint of pride in her voice. "You don't cheat a pony out of her work and sweat without consequences, let me tell you."

"I don't doubt it," Twilight said with a nod, not caring for any further details. "So, what brings you out here Apple-Bucking so late?"

Applejack shrugged, as if it was nothing new for her. "Just feelin' restless I suppose. It strikes my fancy on occasion if I can't get to get to sleep or I'm feelin' a little stressed. I come on out here an' buck me a few apples. Helps clear my head."

"Still," she continued with a wry look at her friend, "Considering whose property this is, I believe I'm entitled to an answer to that very question."

Twilight nodded again, "Right, right, of course." With a nod back to the field she had come from, Twilight indicated for Applejack to follow her. "Come on, I'll show you."

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><p>"So you're tellin' me that you're just out here watchin' a buncha stars?" Applejack asked, bemusement spread over her face clear as day in the moon's light. The two ponies lay on their backs in the tall grass, gazing at the moon and stars overhead in their imperceptible migration across the sky.<p>

"Well, yes," Twilight said hesitantly. "I mean, kinda. I have to refresh my memory every once in a while you know. You can't see it during the day, but the stars are always changing."

"Ah, let 'em change," Applejack said with indifference. "Ain't nothin' we can do about 'em. It's best to save your energy for more practical things, if ya ask me."

"The stars can be very important!" Twilight said, jumping to her study's defense with a touch of indignation in her voice. "Many ponies use them for guidance and navigation, not to mention you can tell what time of year it is by which stars you can see in the sky. That was important before calendars were common." She ended her comment with a note of self righteousness, confident in the value of such things.

"Well… if'n you say so." Applejack conceded, absentmindedly grinding a stalk of the tall grass that she had picked between her teeth. "Still don't see why it's such a big deal, but I'll admit that I've always held a bit o' respect for th' night sky."

"Well," Twilight started, suddenly feeling self conscious, "that's kinda the other reason I'm out here so late."

Applejack glanced at her friend, noticing the slight emotional shift. "And why's that, Sugarcube?" she asked.

Twilight kept her gaze star-ward. "You remember when we fought Nightmare Moon, right?" she asked intently.

Applejack chuckled to herself. "That's not somethin' a pony easily forgets, girl. I might have a respect for th' night, but that don't mean I'm about to let it become a permanent thing."

"Not quite what I was getting at." Twilight said with a little apprehension. She paused for a moment, considering her next words. Applejack sat in silence, content to give her friend time to collect her thoughts. Finally, Twilight began again, this time with a different angle. "What do you know of the legend of the Nightmare Moon?" she asked.

"Not much," Applejack said frankly. "Just what you told us back during that whole escapade. Some pony got banished to the moon, managed to escape, an' we needed them elements of harmony to stop her." Applejack paused for a moment, wondering if she should mention the last bit they had discovered, then shrugged to herself and went ahead with it, "…an' that pony turned out to be Princess Celestia's sister."

"All true," Twilight said with a nod, "but I never did tell you _why_ Princess Luna got banned to the moon, did I?"

Applejack gave her head a soft shake, "No, but we weren't really worried about details at the time."

"I admit we were pretty rushed," Twilight agreed, "but it's kind of important to know. You see, we all know that Princess Celestia controls when the sun rises and sets, right?"

"Well, of course," Applejack said, her own tone taking on a note of amused indignation. "Every pony in Equestria knows that."

Twilight continued quickly, embarrassed at the thought that she might have insulted her friend's intelligence. "Well, a thousand years ago, Princess Celesia wasn't the only pony who controlled the sky, but did so together with her younger sister."

"The one that ended up in th' moon." Applejack interjected.

"Right," Twilight confirmed. "Anyway, Celestia controlled the sun, like she does today, but her younger sister, Princess Luna, controlled the moon and the night."

"I suppose I could 'ave guessed as much," Applejack sighed, "but that still don't explain how she ended up locked away up there."

"I'm getting to that," Twilight said, a hint of exasperation creeping into her voice, wishing her friend would give her long enough to finish a thought before interrupting. "You see, the legend says that after a long time of the sisters ruling together in harmony, Princess Luna became jealous of her sister because she felt the ponies didn't appreciate her night as much as they did Princess Celestia's day, so she became the Nightmare Moon and tried to make it eternally night as a result."

"Well that's just stupid." Applejack said, raising her voice and shifting onto her side to face Twilight.

"Applejack!" Twilight said, horrified that she would speak of a royal with such a tone. "Don't say it like that!"

"Well it is!" Applejack insisted. "We wouldn't be able to survive very long if it was night all th' time. We couldn't even grow any food! She _had_ t've understood _that_ at least!"

"Well… I… I- I don't know!" Twilight admitted in exasperation. "That's just what the prophecy said! Besides, you were there when she escaped; you saw what she did!"

"Well… yeah, yeah I did," Applejack said, rolling onto her back once more, "but it still don't make sense to me."

"Regardless," Twilight continued, desperately wanting to move the conversation forward, "the prophecy said the reason that she became the Nightmare Moon was because she felt underappreciated, sooo…" Twilight paused again, feeling sheepish.

"Aaaah, I get it," Applejack said coyly, finally making the connection, "so you come out here every once in a while to 'show your appreciation' for th' night. To placate 'er."

"I wouldn't call it 'placating'," Twilight said hastily, "But essentially, yes, I just want to do my part to show my appreciation. None of us know how hard they have to work, not even I know what it takes to rule the sky."

Applejack looked a little shocked at this. "But you've been studyin' with Celestia for years! She never showed you?"

Twilight shook her head, "No, my studies never had anything to do with that; most of the time she was just teaching me how to control my magic. I mean," Twilight paused again, trying to sort her memories, "I've seen her raise the sun several times, but I've never been able to figure out how she does it."

"Huh, go figure," Applejack said simply, as if it all suddenly made sense.

They didn't talk much after that. Twilight had run out of things to say and Applejack seemed lost in her own thoughts, so they just sat together, and gained a new appreciation for the night.


	2. The Gratitude of Night

_Wh—where am I?_

She found herself standing on a plateau, a tall flat area about the size of a large room. Sheer cliffs lined it on every side, so tall that the she couldn't even see the ground below for the clouds.

_What's going on! How did I get here! Where am I!_

Frantically she spun circles, looking for a way down, a way out. There was nothing there. No stairs, ladders, lifts or even a balloon. She contemplated using her teleport spell, but she had never done so over such a long distance, not to any point she couldn't see. What if she didn't make it to the ground? Would she be teleporting herself onto thin air? Or even worse, what if she went too far?

It slowly dawned on her that she was panicking, and she stopped to take a few deep breaths. There had to be some way out of this, she just needed to slow down and think for a moment. This she tried to do, carefully surveying her surroundings. Finding nothing, and with all other venues exhausted, she finally looked up.

Her breath caught in her throat.

Thousands upon thousands of stars shown down on her, filling a dark sky with twinkles of light so brilliant they were almost hypnotic. Sparkling jewels that shined amidst a velvet background. She stood there, gazing. She had never seen so many before, had never seen them twinkle and shine like they did tonight, and it was exhilarating. She recognized some of the constellations, but there were just far too many stars in the sky to make sense of much, so she just enjoyed the view. She stood there for several moments, transfixed by the gleaming sight of it all, and as she slowly turned to take it all in, another sight caught the edge of her vision.

She spun around and her eyes went wide. There sat the largest moon she had ever seen. It filled her view, completely enveloping her little plateau. It was so full and radiant she hadn't even realized it was night. She could make out every detail, every pocket, and every crater; and she took the time to do so, studying every aspect, never having had such a stunning view. She stared intently at the moon's surface for a long while, oblivious to everything else, momentarily unaware that anything else even existed; but as she gaped openly she slowly became aware of the distinct feeling that she was being watched.

She glanced around nervously. No one else appeared to be present. The plateau was as bare as anything could possibly be—save its personal pony ornament—and the sky was lit up with so many stars that it would have been impossible for any pegasus ponies to remain hidden for long. Trying to quiet the nagging feeling, she turned her attention back to the glowing orb that filled her vision.

Only to nearly back herself right off the edge of her perch in surprise.

There, dimly visible yet distinct, a pair of deep turquoise eyes peered at her from within the moon, as if glaring at the poor pony, who tried to cower before realizing there was no place for such a thing to be properly done. A high-pitched cackling laugh filled the air, piercing her to her very center, and causing all her prior wonderment and awe to become sheer terror.

_No, it can't be!_

"**TWILIGHT SPARKLE!" **a thundering voice boomed, filling every stretch of the empty night sky around her, "**how **_**dare**_** you defy your queen!"**

The form became more visible, as if the moon had suddenly become a transparent pane of glass behind which her observer had been hiding. The figure was all too clear now, with eyes having become framed with a set of deep purple lashes and the stars immediately surrounding what had been the moon only moments before seemed to float wistfully, as if the space around them had become a deep ocean of black. Twilight's emotions became a mix of terror and incredulousness as the visage before her took shape.

"Nightmare Moon," She breathed to herself in an almost inaudible whisper. "It can't be."

"**Can it not!" **the voice responded, apparently having no trouble hearing her**. "Yet you see me here before your own eyes. Look upon me, and know the despair of everlasting night!"**

"But we defeated you!" Twilight shot back, her incredulousness overwhelming her fear for a brief moment. "Your power was lost! You can't possibly be here!" Her mind raced furiously, trying desperately to come up with some explanation. How had she returned? Had Princess Luna forsaken Equestria a second time? What had happened to Princess Celestia!

The thought that any harm had befallen her beloved teacher filled her heart with dread, and she now stood locked from within its torrents, utterly helpless against the emotion.

"**You need not concern yourself the details of my return,"** the voice continued. "**Only understand that I have done so, and am determined to rule Equestria!"**

"W—we'll stop you," Twilight said, desperately trying to fight against her fear. "We—we defeated you before. My friends and I. We can defeat you again!"

The laughter that met her ears in response swept away any last vestiges of defiance she may have felt. **"Ah, but where are your friends now, dear Twilight." **Nightmare Moon said, mockingly."**Look around you; I assure you that you and I are very much alone." **

Upon this announcement, Twilight couldn't help but glimpse again her immediate surroundings, confirming to herself her own dire situation.

"**The elements must **_**all**_** be present for their power to take hold," **the wicked queen continued, **"and if one of their number is disposed of, their power fails!" **The great eyes of Nightmare Moon narrowed at the poor pony trapped upon the precipice, who could only stare back as the words of the dark princess made clear her intentions. **"Therein lies the weakness of the elements of harmony. I will hunt down your friends, and I will eliminate them one by one in such a way that none other will **_**dare**_** attempt to harness the power of the elements! My rule will be absolute with but one swift stroke, and the first to feel my wrath… will be **_**YOU!**_**"**

In a flash the dark visage of Nightmare Moon vanished, to be replaced with a black sheet of velvet night. The sheet spread out and filled the sky, the moon and the myriad stars winking out as it spread past, and Twilight suddenly found herself surrounded on all sides by complete and utter darkness. The pony could only close her eyes to the assault and wait for the inevitable as the velvet cloud shot in at her, determined to eliminate her magic element from the world as Nightmare Moon's laughter filled her ears.

With a deafening crash and a flash so brilliant Twilight could see it even through her closed eyelids, the laughter changed tone and pitch so abruptly that Twilight instantly found herself utterly perplexed. Realizing that the moment of her demise was overdue, she slowly blinked open her eyes only to see that the night sky had returned, and that before her stood not Nightmare Moon, but a much less intimidating pony who seemed to be on the verge of losing her balance in her amusement.

The dark pony sat down onto her haunches before she caused herself to collapse completely. Great chortles burst forth from her belly as Twilight Sparkle looked on in utter bewilderment.

"P—Princess Luna!" Twilight asked, forgetting all royal propriety in the ludicrousness of the situation.

"Oh my goodness," Princess Luna managed between gasps, "You should have seen the look on your face!" The thought caused the princess to momentarily lose her regained composure to another violent fit of laughter.

"My face….?" Twilight repeated, her inner turmoil now having become a rush of every emotion she'd ever felt. With no sure idea on how she should be reacting, she stood still, her expression the perfect picture of puzzlement.

Luna laughed for a while longer, not understanding that her audience hadn't yet managed to pick up on the situation. As that realization began to dawn, her amusement slowly faded until she was looking just as puzzled as the pony on the other side of the plateau. "Oh come now, no need to look so glum," she said finally after no apparent reaction from the other pony.

Twilight tried desperately to sort out what was going on, but was having a hard time of it. "But… but you… and the moon… and giant eyes… and… but… _Nightmare Moon!_" she floundered, pointing back up at the moon that now sat completely unmarred in the sky behind them.

Princess Luna studied the little pony before her, all lingering traces of amusement disappearing from her face as full realization set in. "Oh dear… I went too far again, didn't I?"

"Too far?" Twilight asked, still trying to wrap her head around the whole escapade.

Princess Luna bowed her head in a forlorn sigh, realizing she had made a mistake. "My apologies, Twilight Sparkle, I meant no real harm. My taking on the visage of Nightmare Moon was only meant to be a joke; a prank, if you will."

"A joke? A prank?" Finally coming to the conclusion that she was not truly in any real danger, something in Twilight Sparkle snapped. "A _PRANK!_" she repeated with much more fire, forgetting entirely whom it was she was addressing. "You fill the sky with the face of Nightmare Moon as a _prank!_"

Finally, it was Luna that seemed to be at a loss for words. "Well, I just thought I would give you a bit of a scare, that's all."

"'A bit of a scare'!" Twilight repeated, now consumed with righteous indignation. _"_You _threatened _me! You threatened _my friends!"_

Luna sighed again, "Oh dear sister forgive me, I did it again," she said, almost to herself before addressing Twilight once more. "I understand that I may have overstepped my bounds, and for that I apologize deeply."

Even in such a short time, Twilight had already prepared a number of tirades she could launch at the princess for the occasion, but the face before her just seemed to look so pitiful and apologetic as to douse most of the fire in the young pony's heart, and she stuttered over the next few words. "I… we… uh… it… Oh never mind!" she gasped in frustration then turned to make a show of storming off, leaving the princess behind.

That attempt was likewise brought to a jarring halt when she realized she was still on the precipice. She took another deep breath before slowly turning to face the dark princess again, who was trying desperately to keep a smile off her face after witnessing the other's drama being so rudely cut short. Twilight just stared, her expression a mix of annoyance and frustration with a hint of anger. Neither spoke for a moment until Luna's discomfort caused her to break the silence.

"The real reason that I am here," she began, "is that I wished to speak with you, Twilight Sparkle."

Twilight's mask seemed to crack a bit at this news. "Speak to me?" she asked, her interest getting the better of her.

"Yes, or more specifically, to thank you," Luna explained. "It had occurred to me that I never got the chance to thank you properly for what you and your friends did for me during the Summer Sun festival those months ago."

"And so you thought you'd come and scare the living daylights out of me? Almost literally!" Twilight said, more than a little skeptical.

Luna flattened her ears as she lowered her head once more. "Yes, again I am sorry… It has been… a difficult adjustment for me after so long. I have…" Luna paused, trying to find the right words, "_forgotten_ how to comport myself in the presence of others; and these emotions… it has been so long."

Luna looked about on the verge of tears, and Twilight couldn't help herself any longer. "Princess Luna?" she asked cautiously, taking several steps towards the distraught pony. "It—it's okay, I'm not—I'm not _truly _angry…"

Luna turned away, slightly embarrassed. "I'm sorry; I don't mean to be over-emotional. I'm still remembering how to control it…" She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts and her eyes; her dark mane flowing with the movement. Managing to regain control of herself, she looked up again. "It is not just what you did for me," she continued, her voice stronger now. "I also wanted to thank you for what you do for me even today."

Twilight combed over the last few weeks, trying to figure out what it was that Luna was talking about. Luna laughed, realizing what the other pony was doing.

"Do not try to think about it too hard, it's really a simple gesture."

Twilight finally made the connection. "You're talking about my nighttime excursions, aren't you?"

Luna nodded, a warm smile on her face. "I am."

Twilight was still a little confused. "But… I can't be the only pony who admires the night, surely there are others more worthy of your time…"

Luna nodded again, "It is true that there are others who hold appreciation for the time of my reign, but there is only one who understands why." Luna shifted and fanned one wing wide towards the sky behind her in a sweeping gesture. Twilight watched in amazement as the stars scattered, leaving a large empty patch of black sky. Slowly some stars began to return to the empty void. They gathered together and moved in such a cohesive manner such as Twilight had never seen before. She quickly realized that the stars were forming recognizable shapes that moved and swayed with all the life of a real pony. Luna was painting a picture for her! A moving picture on a stage greater than any known in ponydom! And Twilight was the only audience. She lamented that her friends were not here to see this.

She began to recognize the images. First it was individual ponies, but they quickly became more complex, with more and more figures joining in, and then pieces of scenery became discernable. Finally Twilight recognized the location as a major part of her home in Canterlot, even if it was a little unfamiliar in places.

"Over one thousand years go," Luna began, narrating for the stars that danced in the night sky, "My sister and I ruled Equestria. We were equals in nearly all things, our only differences being the time of day over which we held our rule. Since not even we could remain awake for an entire day, we divided the time between us." As she spoke, the scene changed, rapidly moving through Canterlot until it came to rest upon the castle throne room, where sat the two rulers, Celestia and Luna.

"Celestia took the day," Luna continued as the two images divided— a giant sun figure appearing next to Celestia, and a moon figure appearing next to Luna— "and I myself was more than comfortable with ruling the night."

"But the prophecies," Twilight interjected, "they said that you were jealous of your sister for ruling the day time; that you felt unappreciated."

Luna nodded again, a mournful look spreading over her visage. "There is some truth to that, but there is more to the story than you will find in any of the history books." The stars shifted again, separating the two sisters even further. "You see, I was well aware that my sister was more powerful and experienced than I was, and for the time I was comfortable resting in her shadow, with full knowledge that I was taking the lesser of the two roles." The stars now showed the two sisters engaging in a variety of royal duties befitting their position and Twilight was having trouble trying to focus on everything at once.

"At first everything proceeded as usual. We took our time and split our duties, presiding over the various ceremonies that occurred within our respective reigns and comparing notes within the hours of dawn and twilight; when we were both awake and had a chance to talk." The scenes were now mirroring her words as she spoke, giving Twilight the full perspective. "We spoke of what we saw, and gave each other advice and opinions, and it seemed like all would proceed smoothly…" Luna trailed off a bit as she spoke, causing Twilight to move closer so that she could still hear the other pony.

"What happened next, however, was not something that either of us could have predicted." Luna said, her voice becoming an element of quiet, painful reminiscence. In sharp contrast, the sky brightened noticeably, showing Celestia in all her glory. "My sister witnessed the many great events of the daytime activities. She saw glorious plants and flowers in full bloom and blossoming trees. She shared these things as she spoke with me, happily describing the many great fields of wildflowers and the newborn animals that played within them; relishing in the joy of hardworking ponies and the accomplishments that they achieved with their ingenuity and efforts during the day."

The stars followed the narration as she spoke— showing various scenes witnessed by the goddess of the sun— and Luna's mood brightened as she spoke of these things, her spirits uplifted with the fonder memories of an otherwise dark time. "I always listened intently as she described them to me, and shared in her joy. I was not jealous, for I preferred the muted tones of night: The glow of the moon on fresh fallen snow. The deepening shades of the setting sun. The soft blue of an approaching dawn. I was happy with these scenes of beauty, and Celestia and I, while differing with our preferences, understood that there was true beauty in all things."

She paused for a moment, and the sky went dark once again, even more so than it had been before. The combination of the look on Princess Luna's face and the now dim stars put Twilight Sparkle on edge, but still the scenes continued, now focusing on the royal of the night.

"Though it is true that there were fewer who shared my taste in beauty," Luna continued, "it was not this that changed my heart, I understood that even as I and my sister must, all ponies required a time of rest, and I was content to give them that time. It was not that I felt unappreciated that changed my heart, but the activities that I bore witness to as I kept my vigil over the quiet of night." Luna's voice had again dropped in tone and volume, and Twilight got the distinct notion that she was speaking more to herself that to her observer.

"When there is less to watch," she said, her voice almost a whisper, "there is more to focus on."

She stopped there, not speaking further. Twilight waited as long as she could before her curiosity got the better of her. "What happened then?" she asked softly, trying the prompt the princess to continue.

"Then… then is when I began to discover what _truly_ happens when darkness falls." Luna said, her tone not changing at all. "While my sister relished in the accomplishments of the day, I bore witness to the accomplishments of the night.

Luna shook her head sharply, and then began to speak faster, as if wanting to get through this next moment as quickly as possible. "I soon learned that there are those who exist who would take advantage of the shadows to commit acts of evil. I bore witness to the many predators that would stalk at night. It seemed as if the tone of the land itself shifted with the disappearing sun." Much unlike Celestia's scenes, the stars did not follow Luna's words, but merely reflected the sorrow that the queen had felt through this troubling time.

"Even the more lighthearted revelries and festivals seemed to have darker undertones," the princess continued, "With many showing a surprising lack of inhibition than one would expect from them during normal daytime activities."

She paused here as well, her features noticeably darker, and this time Twilight dared not interrupt her. She didn't have to wait long, however, as Princess Luna's head snapped upward, locking eyes fiercely with Twilight and giving her a dangerous glare.

"At first I was furious!" she nearly shouted, "How dare they tarnish the image of my peaceful night! How _dare_ they take advantage of the beauty that I created!"

Twilight could not look away from the Princess, but she could see through her peripheral vision that the sky theatre was now glowing. Not the soft, bright glow of a full moon, but a deep, ominous glow, as if space itself were releasing a dark, twisted light.

"I brought swift justice whenever I could," Luna said, her eyes flashing dangerously, "But even my sister and I can only exist in one place at any one time. I spoke to Celestia at length of these things, and she assured me that she too, knew of this depravity. She tried to reassure me that there was more good in the world than evil, she tried to warn me not to let such things become my focus, but I would not listen."

At this, Luna reared back on her hind legs and spread her wings as far as she could and pointing her horn defiantly in the air. "I became an angel of the night!" she exclaimed, "meeting out swift justice as I saw fit. I could not stand for those who would destroy the beauty of the world, and I made my stance clear to all who would attempt to do so!"

She held the pose a moment longer before falling back onto all fours with a sigh, her anger spent in one fell swoop. Twilight breathed her own sigh of relief, having been more than a little nervous at the sight of the princess in such a state.

When Luna next spoke, it was much softer. "At first I tried to explain to Celestia that I was doing this for the good of all. She told me to be patient; that if we ruled with love instead of vengeance our people would overcome such things." Luna shook her head forcefully, "But I was taken with anger, and after a while I stopped speaking to her about it altogether. I didn't need her to tell me what to do…"

Luna sighed again, "I'm sorry, Twilight Sparkle," she said, looking at the other pony apologetically. "I do not mean to upset you. I merely feel that you deserve to know the truth for your part in this. I will also admit that it is not often I get to speak so freely. It… helps me, to speak of this to someone who will listen."

Twilight blinked, unsure of what to say. "I… think I understand, your highness. We all have something that we like to get off our backs once in a while."

Luna smiled, "This is true, and I have had so very long to wallow in my self-pity."

Twilight smiled back. "You just need a friend to listen, and even if it's just for now, I'm sure I can be that friend."

"A friend," Luna repeated, her smile widening slightly, but still subdued. "Celestia is always telling me to make more friends."

Twilight couldn't help but laugh at hearing this. "You too? And I thought I was the only one. Do you know that's exactly the reason I'm in Ponyville? To make friends?"

"Yes, actually," Luna chuckled. "Celestia and I often read your reports together. She is very proud of you, you know?"

Twilight was a bit taken aback at this sudden admission. It shouldn't have been news, she _was_ Celestia's personal pupil after all, but it was a strange thing to hear it from someone other than Celestia herself. "Proud of me?" she asked. "But I haven't been able to accomplish very much here In Ponyville. More often than not I'm more a burden than anything else."

"But you are learning," Luna assured her, "And even now you take your study seriously. And…" Luna's pause was uncomfortable in nature, and a bit shy, "…and you have taught me much."

"Me!" Twilight exclaimed, now fully surprised. "But what have I—?"

Luna cut her off with a gesture and a soft smile. "Please, allow me to explain. When I allowed anger to take hold in my heart, it corroded me. I began to lose focus, and as the decades passed I grew bitter.

"Of course, my vengeful spirit did nothing to help me," she said with a shrug. "As Celestia continued to be lauded as an upright and graceful spirit of good, the ponies of Equestria began to see me as a dark and cruel goddess of punishment. They began to fear me, and in turn, fear the night that I brought forth." Luna struggled to keep a brave face, and Twilight could only listen in understanding, knowing that this was probably the hardest part for the Princess to admit.

"This was truly where the fairy tales begin," She said slowly. "With no room for joy and laughter, my heart became a haven for envy and hatred. I began to envy my sister, I began to hate those who would not see my night as I saw it." Luna took a deep breath, her nostrils flaring. "I began to forget what it was like to enjoy life, and could no longer see that which was uplifting except for that which I myself brought forth. It was at this point that I fell into despair, and became the being known as Nightmare Moon."

"So, then it's true." Twilight said, unable to keep herself from interrupting. The idea that she was getting a history lesson from a first-hand account was beginning to bring out the excitement that she held for all things knowledgeable. "It wasn't that you were merely jealous of Celestia. I always suspected that to be the case, but there were never any records that said otherwise."

Luna wasn't at all upset, and was in fact rather grateful that Twilight seemed more curious than judgmental. "You have my sister to thank for that," she said. "Celestia didn't want all of Equestria to remember me as the dark angel I had become, and so she carefully cured the records of all such knowledge, leaving only enough to ensure that I wasn't forgotten entirely."

Twilight seemed a little confused. "But then why leave any record of Nightmare Moon at all? Why not just have them say that you were taking an extended vacation of sorts?"

Luna laughed openly at the idea, "My sister was not so foolish to believe that I would purge Nightmare Moon on my own," she explained. "No, the reason she left those records was for somepony to find them, somepony very special." Princess Luna gave Twilight her full attention now, focusing intently on the small unicorn before her. "She left those records, for _you_, Twilight."

"You keep talking like that," Twilight protested, uncomfortable with the abundant praise, "but you haven't yet told me why!"

"Then let me ask you a question," Luna said, coyly. "Have you ever wondered why_ you_ were able to rescue me from Nightmare Moon, and yet my sister, the Princess Celestia with all her power, was only able to banish me to the moon?"

Twilight furrowed her brow. "I… well, I mean… I've thought about it," she admitted. "I always assumed it was because the Elements of Harmony needed individual hosts to maximize their power."

"There's more to it than that," Luna said, shaking her head, her playful smile never leaving her face. "The Elements of Harmony are brought forth from the strongest of emotional bonds that comes from the gifts of friendship. The problem is that when you live a life as long as my sister and I, you begin to lose the reality of what it means to make friends."

"But… but you've had more friends than I could ever hope to make!" Twilight said, unable to understand Luna's meaning.

"True," Luna said and she began to pace, not wanting to explain what came next, but realizing it was necessary, "but you see, after you have seen so many of your friends grow old and die, you detach yourself from them." She looked at the ground as she said this, once again saddened by her memories, "it never gets easier to lose a friend."

"You had your sister though."

Luna nodded, "That is true, and she had me, and for the longest time we were the only ones we would allow each other to call friend, for we were the only ones with whom we could share our existence. Yet as I slowly fell into the dark visage of Nightmare Moon, I had detached myself from my only true friend. I was the one who prevented her from using the Elements of Harmony to their fullest."

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked in earnest, "How could she not?"

"As I detached myself from her, I was also detaching her from me. Without me to be the friend that she needed, she, even with all her benevolence, began to lose her understanding. When the time finally came for her to face me, she no longer had the ability to fully wield the Elements of Harmony."

Luna stopped pacing here, and brought her gaze up to meet Twilight. "But you ponies, you who live such brief lives and thrive on the emotional attachments to others; who rely on those attachments throughout your very lives as the most precious of treasures… you held the key to the power of the Elements of Harmony."

Twilight was taken aback. "But, but I don't have a fraction of the power that Celestia— or you— have!"

"Yet you _understand_," Luna retorted, "and therein lies all the difference." Twilight looked like she was about to interrupt, but Luna cut her off. "When you and your friends harnessed the power of the Elements of Harmony those months ago, you did something that Celestia could not do. You restored to me the ability to feel _more _than pain, loss and anger. You _gave_ me the joy of laughter. You reminded me of the bliss of generosity. You granted me the relief of honesty and the pride of loyalty." As she spoke, Twilight saw tears well up in the Princess's eyes. Luna didn't even try to stifle them, but let them flow freely. "You quelled my anger and rage with the peace of kindness and with the spark of magic, you repaired my shattered heart." The moment getting the better of her, Luna couldn't keep the smile from her face any more than she could stem the flow of joyful tears from her eyes. "This you could do," she finished, "because you truly understood."

Twilight was left speechless, completely unable to find the appropriate words. She was saved the trouble when Luna looked at her again, her tears continuing to flow and a wide smile adorning her face.

"And for this, I thank you, Twilight Sparkle, you and your friends. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart."

Twilight could only stare dumfounded, her mouth agape. Celestia had never shown her this much emotion before, and the raw gratitude emanating from the dark pony before her was so sincere and genuine that she didn't have the slightest idea how to react. Finally, in a panic, she decided propriety was the way to go, and bowed her head before the Princess.

"Princess Luna, I… I am rather overwhelmed. I don't know what to say."

"Then you needn't speak," the princess reassured her, "For your actions speak for you. In all of Equestria, you alone study the night for the purpose of seeking its beauty, and honoring me." Luna paused, and her voice grew softer, "You and my sister, are the only ones who remember."

Twilight was shocked at this. It couldn't be true! Not after everything that had been done to bring her back! Surely there were others who knew of the prophecies, of the past. There _had _to be!

The shock must have been apparent on her face, as Luna seemed to take notice. "Don't worry, Twilight," she said, giving the other a reassuring smile, "It is a small pain. You see, my sister turned out to be right after all."

Placated, Twilight's shock turned to curiosity. "Right about what, Princess Luna?"

Princess Luna spread her wings wide, using them both to gesture to the sky behind her, where the stars continued to perform their dance, and currently seemed to be showing a montage of various scenes with many ponies all over Equestria.

"During my absence, the love that my sister urged has taken deep root in the lands of Equestria. The activities of the ponies, even at night, no longer reflect those activities that I set out to quell. My vengeance has dissipated, and I only seek to earn the love of the ponies, as my sister has." Folding her wings to her side, Luna pawed at the ground subconsciously. "It's going to take a lot of work, but I'm determined to do it!"

"Well," Twilight started, all too willing, if a bit unsure, "If you need anything, just let me know. I'll do whatever I can to help."

Luna smiled at the gesture, "I have no doubt you would. I am beginning to see why my sister has taken such an interest in you."

Twilight abruptly began to feel very insecure. "I… I have often wondered about that. I certainly don't feel like anypony special." It was Twilight's turn to begin speaking as if to herself. "Why _did_ Princess Celestia choose me?"

Luna laughed, a warming cheerful laugh that reminded Twilight of Pinkie Pie. "Tell me, Twilight, do you remember when you got your cutie mark?"

"Well, of course," Twilight said, looking at her flank as if to reassure her that it was still there. "I mean, up until the point where I lost control. That part… is a little hazy."

Luna laughed again. "Your magical ability was impressive to be sure, but there was more in you that my sister saw, and she saw it appear before her very eyes."

Twilight was again confused. "I don't get it, what was there besides my magic?"

"Let me ask you this, then," Luna said, still smiling. "How many ponies do you know have a sun on their flank."

Twilight only hesitated for a moment. "Just one. That would be Princess Celestia."

"And the moon?"

Twilight had to think about this a little more, "Well, some have similar images, like my father, but you're the only one with the actual moon on her flank."

"And your cutie mark?" Luna asked without hesitation.

Twilight looked at her flank again, "Well it's uh…" a sudden realization seemed to set in, "…stars."

Luna simply nodded.

Twilight shook her head, thinking it far too absurd to be anything more than a coincidence. "But… but lots of ponies have stars on their flanks!" she protested.

"That is true," Luna agreed, "for there are many stars in the sky, yet though my sister saw your power, it was when your cutie mark appeared that she made the decision to accept you as her student. She saw the stars, the symbol of a heavenly body— the connection between day and night."

Twilight wasn't sure she was buying this. Still… Celestia _had_ been the first to notice her cutie mark. Could it be true? Could it _possibly _be true?

"Why, even your name, Twilight Sparkle, indicates such a connection. Your hair is the dimming theme of Twilight. Your mane the Sparkling display of the dawn." Luna paused for dramatic emphasis. "You, Twilight, were fated to bring my sister and me together again, and my sister knew it."

This was all a little too much for the purple pony, who collapsed onto her haunches for support. "You can't be serious," she said, dumbfounded. "You're talking as if I'm in the same league as you and Princess Celestia."

Luna inclined her head in thoughtfulness. "_That_ has yet to be seen, but I am certain that my sister believes— and I am inclined to agree— that you, Twilight Sparkle, are destined for great things."

Twilight just sat in wonderment, the weight of the princess' words slowly seeping into her mind, but certainly not with ease. Her insecurities and skepticism put up stiff resistance to the ideas. "I don't get it…" she almost whispered, "Princess Celestia could have said something at any moment. Why tell me this now?"

"Celestia would never say this out loud," Luna said with a laugh. "As the ruler of the day, she deals with the alert and awake, and something like this would be far too overreaching to say directly."

Twilight arched an eyebrow in confusion, "Wait… but you…"

"Yes, I have told you," Luna said, a wide grin adorning her face, "but I am the ruler of the night. I have learned to communicate with the subconscious mind. It's not quite so influential, and much more subtle."

Twilight tried several times to say something but couldn't think of the words. What was Princess Luna talking about? She was more subtle? She couldn't have said it any more blatantly! Princess Luna, in return, offered no explanation, but merely held a knowing grin on her face that was more than a little distracting. Twilight focused on something else instead, and after taking into account her peculiar circumstances, finally made the connection.

"This… isn't real, is it?"

Luna's grin widened slightly. "Now you're catching on," she said playfully. "I've learned a few tricks over the centuries. They didn't call me the _Nightmare _Moon for nothing. I have merely invaded your dreams."

"But… you still told me," Twilight countered, "and I still know you said it."

"Yes you did, and you always will, in your heart," Luna assured her. "However, like most dreams, it will be a fleeting experience, and though there may be some residual knowledge, you won't ever _remember_ me saying it, and that can make all the difference."

Twilight stared up at the sky again. The beautiful, sparkling sky, and felt a twinge of lament. "So, you mean I won't remember any of this?" she asked, dismayed.

"Not clearly, I'm afraid," Luna said apologetically. "Although, that also means that you won't remember my little…" she hesitated for a moment with a sheepish look on her face and a nervous chuckle, "…my little 'prank'."

The memory of terror snapped Twilight out of her reprieve. "Yes, yes that would definitely be a good thing."

"I am so sorry," Luna humbly apologized. "When you repaired my hearts with the Elements of Harmony I seem to have caught a measure of your personalities. I'm still myself for the most part, but the emotions can be overpowering, and sometimes…" she trailed off, leaving the rest unspoken.

Twilight didn't need to hear the rest. "No no… I understand now," she said with a frustrated sigh born from resignation to her friend's 'quirks'. "I'm sure Pinkie or Rainbow would have found it _hilarious_."

Luna brought a hoof to her mouth with a grimace of embarrassment, but Twilight stopped her before she could apologize again. "No harm done, Princess Luna," she reassured the other pony. "It makes perfect sense."

Luna inclined her head in a shallow bow, "Thank you, Twilight, and thank you again, for all that you have done, and continue to do for me. Alas, it is growing late, and I wished to convey my thanks to your friends before the night is through."

Twilight bowed low in turn, "Of course your highness, and I thank you as well. It means a lot to me to know that you are doing well, and I appreciate you taking your time to say so."

Luna smiled, "Of course. This little chat was my pleasure, but I really must be going." Princess Luna's great wings unfurled and she made as if to fly off, but something occurred to Twilight before she could do so.

"Oh, princess?"

"Yes?"

"If you do visit Fluttershy tonight, _please_ don't scare her. She is… a bit sensitive."

Luna laughed a cheerful laugh that resonated with the night sky. "I will remember that," she reassured the other pony before launching herself upwards on her great wings, "Farewell, Twilight Sparkle. Learn and act with confidence, and know that the love of Celestia and myself will always be with you."


	3. Epilogue

Though the sun beamed through the open windows and the busy sounds of the morning filled the house, it was the smell of freshly made apple pancakes wafting into the room that finally snapped Twilight out of her slumber.

_Spike must have gotten up early for once_, she thought to herself, groggily blinking her eyes open carefully so as to not hurt them with the morning light. It didn't take long for her to realize she wasn't where she should have been. In fact, she wasn't in the library at all! A brief moment of panic gave way to sudden recognition as she realized she was, in fact, in Applejack's room.

Twilight tried to remember why that would be the case, and her thoughts drifted to the night before. She remembered last night was one of her scheduled designated nights of appreciation… she remembered she had run into Applejack… she remembered lying in a field and talking to her…

There had been something else. Something that she felt was very important, but her thoughts failed her. With a shrug she came to the conclusion that she must have fallen asleep in the field and been brought home by Applejack.

She shook her head, chasing away the last vestiges of drowsiness and hopped out of bed, headed to the one place she knew she'd find someone: The kitchen. Sure enough, Applejack was there, carefully maintaining a watchful eye over a fresh batch of recently poured pancakes on the stove. Her face brightened at the sight of her friend.

"Well look who's up and about," she said cheerfully. "Mornin' Twilight,"

Twilight yawned in reply. "I fell asleep, didn't I?"

Applejack nodded enthusiastically, "That you did, sugarcube, but don't fret none. There's always room for a friend at the Apple Family Barn."

Twilight smiled wryly. "Room enough that I had to steal your bed from you?"

Applejack waved her off without so much as a second thought. "Plenty 'o places for a pony to sleep 'round here," she said, matter-of-factly. "I wouldn't be much of a host if I just dumped ya on the couch." Applejack grabbed a nearby spatula in her teeth and began to flip some of the pancakes.

Twilight shrugged, "I wouldn't have minded. I was the one imposing on you after all."

Applejack waved her off again, but couldn't reply until she was done flipping. "T'weren't no imposition," she assured her friend, "but since you're here, I wouldn't mind some help settin' the table. Big Macintosh'll be back soon from the mornin' chores and Granny's probably wakin' Apple Bloom for school right about now."

Twilight smiled, "It would be my pleasure."

* * *

><p>Breakfast passed without incident, with only Apple Bloom contributing to any amount of lengthy conversation about her afterschool plans for the day with the Cutie Mark Crusaders. After which everyone went their separate ways. Apple Bloom headed off to school while Big Macintosh returned to the orchards. Granny disappeared to… wherever granny went this time of the morning. Twilight decided to stay and help Applejack with the dishes, feeling it only right considering the hospitality she had received. Applejack wasn't about to complain, it just meant she could be done here and get outside helping Big Macintosh all the more quickly.<p>

"Thanks again for breakfast, Applejack." Twilight was saying as she dried the last of the dishes. "Those apple pancakes of yours are great!"

"If there's one thing we know, it's how to use our apples," the orange pony said with a proud smile.

"It is absolute truth," Twilight agreed, putting away the last plate. "And again, I appreciate letting me stay the night, but I should probably be getting back to the library now. Spike is no doubt wondering where I am and I don't want to worry him."

Applejack nodded, "Not a problem missy, you're welcome any time."

Twilight made for the door, but before she could leave she was stopped by Applejack.

"Oh, and Twilight?"

"Yes?" Twilight turned to look over her shoulder before deciding it was easier just to face her friend entirely.

"I was thinkin' last night…" Applejack started, an unsure look on her face, "'bout what you said about Princess Luna and Nightmare Moon an' all that." The orange pony paused and idly rubbed the back of her head with one hoof behind her ever present Stetson hat. "And I just thought, y'know, that maybe you're doin' somethin' right."

Twilight smiled. "I appreciate the support," she said.

"Well…" Applejack continued, but she seemed to have trouble forming the words, "…somethin' tells me that more of us should be doin' stuff like that, y'know?"

Twilight tilted her head inquisitively, "What do you mean?"

"I— I can't right put my hoof on it… I think it was a dream or somethin'…" Applejack paused here, worried that she was sounding a bit silly, "…but while I was thinkin' about it, I think I got an idea that I'd like to share with you and the girls."

Twilight was more than a little curious now, "And what's that Applejack?"

Applejack mulled over her words, chewing on her lower lip before deciding to take a different route to express her idea. "Tell ya what," she said to Twilight, "you spread the word amongst the girls. Tell 'em to meet out here at my place Friday, at sundown."

"Stargazing?" Twilight asked, raising a single eyebrow in question.

"Not quite what I had in mind," the other pony said. "I'll explain then, just help me make sure they're all out here for it."

Twilight nodded, "If I can get Rarity away from her work long enough. I'll see what I can do."

"I'd be mighty appreciative." Applejack told her. "I'll let 'em know too if I get the chance, just so we're all on the same page here. Anyways I'd better get out there helpin' Big Macintosh."

"Alright, Applejack, I'll see you then, ok?"

"You got it, Sugarcube. Have a great day now, y'hear?"

Twilight chuckled, "You too, Applejack, you too."

* * *

><p>The rest of the week seemed to pass quickly, and Twilight sought every opportunity to remind her friends of their planned get-together. Something in the back of her mind pressed upon her a sense of urgency, and she was more than pleasantly surprised to find them all receptive to the idea. Despite the fact that Fluttershy liked to retire early, that Rarity usually worked late, that Rainbow Dash was more often than not exhausted by the end of the day and that Pinkie Pie was… well… Pinkie Pie, none of them gave her even the slightest hint of hesitation at the idea of a twilight rendezvous.<p>

Finally the appointed evening arrived, and Twilight found herself returning to Sweet Apple Acres, silently brimming with curiosity at what Applejack had in mind. As she approached the field she could see that Pinkie Pie and Ranbow Dash had already arrived.

"Hi Twilight!" Pinkie Pie said with her typical enthusiasm, bounding over to the newly arriving pony. "Applejack's not here yet so we just thought we'd wait out here until everyone arrived so we've just been talking, well I've been doing most of the talking, but Rainbowdash and I were the only ones out here and so…"

Twilight walked past the droning Pinkie Pie over to her other friend, who was lazily sprawled out on the grass. Upon seeing the purple unicorn approach the pegasus rolled onto her belly.

"Hiya, Twilight!" she said.

"Hey Rainbow. How did aerial maneuvers go today?"

"Awesome, as usual," the pegasus replied before motioning to Pinkie Pie. "Is there any way to turn her off?"

"…are you girls even listening to m—Hey!"

Twilight chuckled, "That seemed to do the trick."

Pinkie Pie shot a brief glare at Rainbow Dash, who just shrugged and rolled onto her back again. "Oh, don't give me that look, Pinkie. You're so high-strung all the time, you need to relax every once in a while."

Typically, Pinkie's glare was short lived. "Ooh, relaxing! I love relaxing! I do it all the time! You wanna know what I do when I wanna relax?"

"You throw a party?"

Pinkie rose up onto her hind legs, throwing her forelegs out wide, "I throw a par—!" The sudden realization of what Twilight had said stole the thunder from her exclamation. She dropped back to all fours in a huff, "Oh, you girls are no fun!"

Both Twilight and Rainbow Dash had a good laugh at this. "Oh, Pinkie, we're just teasing you," Twilight said, knowing that it didn't really need to be said. "Anyway, it looks like Rarity and Fluttershy are here."

"Hi girls!" Fluttershy said, leaping into the air and taking wing to close the remaining distance between them more quickly.

Rainbow Dash was the first to respond, "Hi, Fluttershy! How are things at the meadow?"

"Oh, it's always busy," Fluttershy reassured them, "but it's always fun!" Though she was now more than comfortable enough around her friends, her usual timidity began to peek through as she spoke, "Angel Bunny wanted to stay up with me tonight, and I had a hard time getting him to sleep; that's why I'm late. I'm sorry."

Before any of them could reassure her that everything was fine, a gasp from behind her caught their attention.

"Oh, I can't _believe_ I agreed to come out all this way so late at night," Rarity said, gingerly picking her way to the rest of the group.

"Says the pony who pulls more all-nighters than the rest of us combined," Rainbow shot back.

"It's only sundown, Rairty," Twilight added, "it's not _that_ late."

"Yes, but there's just so much dirt," Rarity said, pawing at the ground, "and dust," she shook her tail, trying to dislodge any dust that may have decided to call it home, "and this tall grass sticks to my hair." She brushed off her fore-hooves, trying to dislodge the small blades of grass that clung to them. "If this stains, I will never forgive you."

"Ah, don't be such a fuss-budget, Rarity." Applejack said, coming up from behind her. "It does ya good to get nice and dirty every once in a while, and I figured you were past due anyway."

Rarity's response was a dignified "Hmph!" as she stuck her nose into the air, but Applejack ignored it, and turned to the others, who now saw that she was carrying two brightly colored handkerchiefs, which she dropped onto the ground.

"I appreciate y'all comin' out here. I know it's not typical for some of y'all to be up and about after dark, but we haven't seen much o' each other lately, and it's a full moon tonight, so I's thinkin' we could have some fun together."

"Ooh, are we gonna roast _marshmallows!_" Pinkie said excitedly, producing a bag of marshmallows and some poles from seemingly nowhere.

Applejack just grinned and shook her head, "We don't have a fire fer that, Pinkie."

"Oh that's ok!" Pinkie reassured her, pulling out a flaming branch the size of her foreleg, "I brought that too!" The sudden appearance of an open flame caused all the others to involuntarily move several inches from the volatile pony.

"Will you put that away!" Applejack hissed, a little stronger than she meant to. "Y'all're gonna burn mah farm down!"

"Oh, sorry!" Pinkie apologized, and the flame vanished, followed shortly by a collective sigh of relief.

Applejack took a moment to regain her composure and clear her throat. "Anyway, what I actually had in mind fer tonight," she continued, looking at the others with a mischievous grin, "Well, how d'y'all feel about a round of nightgames!"

"Night games?" Fluttershy asked confusedly, her head lowered as she took a step back. "Oh, that sounds dangerous." The other ponies only looked at each other in confusion, with the sole exception of a bright blue pegasus.

"That sounds like a great idea!" Rainbow Dash said, excitedly. "We used to play those all the time up in Cloudsdale! What are we gonna play, Aerial Commando? No Dragons are Out Tonight?"

Applejack nudged the two cloths she had brought out. "I thought we'd start with a little Capture the Flag and move on from there."

"Capture the flag?" Twilight asked, her insatiable curiosity getting the best of her, "What's that?"

Applejack turned to Rainbow Dash with a shake of her head, "I reckon we're gonna have a bit 'o explanin' to do."

* * *

><p>It took a while to get started (Rarity proving the biggest obstacle to convince) but soon six ponies were happily sneaking through the tall grass and trees in an attempt to be the first to bring the other team's flag back to their own territory. As the night wore on, they played other games, many of which were variations of games that Rainbow Dash was familiar with, which had to be modified slightly to accommodate the earth ponies. In the end Applejack even dug out a carefully constructed fire pit, in which she let Pinkie light a fire so they could roast marshmallows. They sat around the fire and talked. They admired the moon and stars, and they enjoyed each other's company. Eventually they decided that making this a regular thing might not be such a bad idea.<p>

Meanwhile, in a castle some distance from the frolicking ponies, a lone figure sat in silent vigil of the night. Taking a moment from her many duties and finding a quiet corner so she might be undisturbed, she sat quietly, eyes closed, thoughts focused, a small smile played out on her lips. She willed the moon to beam a bit brighter from its perch in the sky, providing just enough light so that nopony made a wrong step and hurt themselves. And she watched. And she listened. And she laughed. She was a stranger to them, but they were not strangers to her.

She wished she could be among them. Alas, it was a fleeting wish, knowing that it could not be so. She had things to do, duties to fulfill, responsibilities that demanded her attention. Instead she savored the moment, breathing deep the emotions she felt even over such distance. Slowly she got back to her feet, reinvigorated and ready to face her work. She moved back to the courtyard with a small spring in her step, her smile never leaving her lips.

"Thank you," she said softly.

"Thank you all, so very much."

* * *

><p>Final Notes: I've never really written something like this, starring mainly female protagonists in a setting that is more sentimental than combatant, so I could really use some feedback on how this came through. Liked it? Hated it? Think I completely messed something up? Think I might have actually hit the nail on the head? Please let me know. I appreciate the reviews I have received thus far, and for the most part, you guys seemed to really like it. The biggest complaint that I have received was my portrayal of Rarity. My only explanation being that because four of the main cast didn't have much screen time, I had to exaggerate their personalities to make up for it, so I may have gone over the top.<p>

Either way, I do hope it was enjoyable enough. Thanks for reading!


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